An Ordinary Sort of Evil (A Rip Through Time, #5) by Kelley Armstrong 
Series: A Rip Through Time #5
Published by Minotaur Books on May 19, 2026
Genres: Historical, Mystery
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley
I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong returns to Victorian Scotland in the latest in the genre-blending Rip Through Time series.
Modern-day homicide detective Mallory Mitchell has grown accustomed to life in Victorian Scotland after travelling 150 years into the past into the body of a housemaid. She’s built a new life for herself. Even though she works as an assistant to forensic-science pioneer Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie, she considers them true friends. And with Gray in particular, perhaps, someday, something more.
Late one night, Gray and Mallory are summoned urgently to the home of Lady Adler, a patron of Gray’s undertaking business, and they assume there's been a death in the household. But instead, they arrive in the midst of a seance with a ghost demanding Gray's presence. The ghost is Lady Adler's former maid, who had gone missing but now requests that Gray investigate her murder. Although Gray and Mallory are skeptical, they agree to look into the matter, whether she's dead or alive. But unsure if there's been a murder or not, unable to call out the medium as a fraud, and concerned for the fate of the young maid, Gray and Mallory are once again drawn into a mystery much more puzzling--and more dangerous--than it first seems
This story brings a little more depth to the characters and all of their relationships.
This series features a modern day homicide detective who goes back 150 years to Victorian Scotland only to find herself in the body of a 19-year-old maid working in the household of Dr. Duncan Gray, a doctor at the beginning of forensic science. Mallory, now working as an assistant to Dr. Gray, and along his long-time friend, Detective Hugh McCreadie, helps in the investigation of murders.
In this recent investigation, Dr. Gray is called late at night to the house of one of Duncan’s patrons. Lady Adler is holding a séance, the most recent entertainment of the Victorian nobility, and the attending “ghost” has requested Dr. Duncan Gray by name to investigate their murder. Duncan is a firm non-believer in ghosts but he can’t afford to offend someone like Lady Adler so he and Mallory are forced to investigate a murder of a young woman who no one is even certain is actually dead. When her body is actually found, the real question becomes if this psychic medium the real deal or did they have something to do with the girl’s death?
During the course of this series, Duncan and Mallory’s investigations started being chronicled as entertainment for the masses. They have become very popular, especially among women, so stopping these outlandish publications was almost impossible but now they have hired their own novelist who at least doesn’t write Mallory as an empty-headed, piece of fluff. One fan they never expected was Queen Victoria herself who now expects her own personal updates on their investigations. Mallory did not have Queen Victoria-true crime fan on her Bingo card.
I really love the characters that Kelley Armstrong has given us: not just Duncan and Mallory, but Duncan’s sister, Isla, and his friend, Det. McCreadie. Of course, the best part is having Mallory, our modern day detective trying to negotiate life in Victorian Scotland. I heard someone say that we enjoy stories more that we can see ourselves in. I usually don’t put myself into the story, but in this case I feel that this is a great representation of what I would feel if I suddenly woke up in the past. It isn’t just reading a story written 150 years ago where how the characters behave seems odd to our modern sensibilities. But it is seeing a modern day person trying to negotiate the stricter lifestyle that women were subjected to in the past and still trying to do the job she was trained for but now only using primitive forensic science. It is also why Mallory doesn’t understand why Duncan, a mixed-race, bastard son, isn’t getting the respect he deserves for his knowledge and skill as a doctor and scientist by a society who is still judging him on those things out of his control.
A plus for the fans of the series, Duncan and Mallory had a huge misunderstanding in the prior novel about their relationship which has made things very awkward between them. In this story, being intelligent adults, they eventually have a conversation about what happened and have worked things smooth. Ahhh, much better. The happenings of this story, including finding their unexpected fan, will bring some interesting changes to the series. I am still waiting to see what happens if and when Duncan’s mother arrives back in town. She is a very forward-thinking Victorian woman, she encouraged her own daughters to become scientists but how will she respond to Mallory (who she knows as a former thief and housemaid) becoming so close to her son?
I do prefer the audiobook version of this series as the narrator makes a point to change her accent from Mallory (the modern woman) to Catriona (the 18-year-old Scottish housemaid) but when offered a digital ARC I couldn’t resist grabbing a copy.
I am excited to find out what happens next for Dr. Duncan Gray and Mallory Mitchell.
Favorite Scene:
“It is not connected to our case,” Gray says when MacNiven is gone.
I take out my pocket watch. “Wow. It took less than five seconds for you to make a very firm investigative decision. What you mean, Duncan, is that you hope it isn’t because of the ghost connection.”
He grumbles and shoots his cuffs. “Also, he was flirting with you.”
“Who?” I look at MacNiven, now about twenty paces away. “The schoolteacher?”
“No, the other man you were speaking to a few minutes ago.”
“Hugh? That’d be awkward.”
I get a long, slow stare for that.
I throw up my hands. “What? If that’s Victorian flirting, I am never going to catch on.”
“Which is why I mentioned it. So you were aware that the young man was blatantly flirting with you.”
“Blatantly. Damn Victorians. I am so out of my league. I once had a guy at a bar tell me how good my shoes made my legs look, and I spent five minutes tracking down the brand in case he wanted to buy a pair for his girlfriend. Or himself–I don’t judge. I have no game when it comes to flirting.” I pause. “Was I accidentally flirting back?”
“No.”
“Whew. With Victorians, I could do something like admire a rosebush and have twenty men lining up because I’m sniffing the floral symbol for lust.”
“There is no floral symbol for lust.”
“But there should be.” I look up at him. “Thank you for letting me know. Seriously. I really am obtuse, and I wouldn’t want to lead a guy on by accident. If we do need to speak to him again, you can take charge.”
“We will not need to, as the cases are not connected.”
“Just because you don’t want them to be connected doesn’t mean they aren’t.”
“Fine. But if there is a connection, it is not because of…that.”
“Because of what?”
“You know.”
“Can’t even say the word. Here, let me help.” I lift my arms and waggle my fingers. “Whooooo.”
“What is that?”
“A ghost. Obviously.”
“You look as if you are having a fit. And you sound as if it is painful.”
I lift my middle finger.
“I still do not know what that means.”
I roll my eyes. “If the cases are connected, the ghost part is a coincidence.”
“Thank you.”
“Or that’s my initial interpretation. But if we find out that ghosts are real?” I shrug “I’ll reassess.”
“Not real.”
“Are you sure? Maybe I’m a ghost.”
“Do not be ridiculous.”
“I’m a non-corporeal entity possessing the body of a corporeal human. Either I’m a ghost or a demon.”
“If those are the options, the answer is obvious. After all, you did steal my cream tart this morning. I am certain my soul is next.”
“I didn’t steal your cream tart. Jack very clearly put the plate between us and there were two cream tarts and you took one so I took the–“
“Please tell me you are solving my case,” McCreadie says as he comes up the embankment behind us. “And not arguing over pastries.”
“Duncan called me a demon.”
McCreadie’s brows shot up. “That seems a little harsh.”
“I did not call–” Gray says. “Ignore her. She is in a mood.”
“Me?” I look at McCreadie. “We were just speaking to the schoolmaster, and Duncan’s cranky because the fellow mentioned ghosts. Also, apparently, he was flirting with me, and I failed to see it.”
“Flirting with you? That is a capital offense. Where is the man?” McCreadie looked around, shadowing his eyes.
“Stop,” Gray says.
“Do not worry, dear friend, I shall arrest him and haul him before the magistrate posthaste. Flirting with Mallory? It is not allowed. Not at all.”
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